Barcelona City Council has made the traffic direction changes on Travessera de Gràcia permanent after they helped cut through-traffic in Vila de Gràcia. The decision affects a busy stretch in the city centre, where the aim is to stop vehicles using the street as a shortcut without stopping.
The changes were first put in place in October 2023, and the council says an internal study by the Gràcia district and the Mobility area found they were the best option for reducing traffic. The data showed vehicle numbers fell by up to 87% between Gran de Gràcia and Torrent de l'Olla, and by 77% between Torrent de l'Olla and Milà i Fontanals.
Laia Bonet, First Deputy Mayor and Gràcia Councillor, said the new direction pattern had “considerably reduced traffic on this road and avoided saturation episodes”. She added that the measure is meant to keep neighbourhood activity going while removing traffic that crossed Vila de Gràcia without stopping.
The council said the initial changes also helped calm traffic in a very dense part of the district, which has about 50,000 residents. Between Via Augusta and Gran de Gràcia, traffic fell by 93%, although works on the L8 metro line also played a part. The study found no increase in traffic on nearby streets, easing concerns that vehicles would simply move elsewhere.
Other figures in the report included a 59% drop at the junction of Bonavista and Torrent de l'Olla, and a 39% fall between Torrent de l'Olla and Montseny streets. Travessera de Gràcia will now keep a mixed pattern of one-way and two-way sections, with traffic flowing in different directions across the route depending on the stretch.
The council also said a new traffic light will be installed at Travessera de Gràcia, Milà i Fontanals, and Torrent d'en Vidalet, as requested by local residents. The 114 bus route, run by Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona, will also be adjusted so it better serves the area around the new Mercat de l'Abaceria. The city says the changes are intended to turn Travessera de Gràcia into a civic axis that gives priority to pedestrians and residents.
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Originally published by Barcelona City Council Press Room. Read original article.
